One Hour with You

One Hour with You is a 1932 American Pre-Code musical comedy film about a married couple who find themselves attracted to other people. It was produced and directed by Ernst Lubitsch "with the assistance of" George Cukor, and written by Samson Raphaelson, from the play Only a Dream by Lothar Schmidt. It stars Maurice Chevalier, Jeanette MacDonald and Genevieve Tobin and features Charles Ruggles and Roland Young. A French-language version, called Une heure près de toi was made simultaneously, with Lili Damita playing Genevieve Tobin's role.

The film is a musical remake of The Marriage Circle (1924), the second film that Lubitsch made in the United States.^[1] In 1932, One Hour with You was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture.

Plot

Parisian doctor Andre Bertier (Maurice Chevalier) is faithful to his loving wife, Colette (Jeanette MacDonald), much to the surprise of his lovely female patients. But when Colette's best friend Mitzi Olivier (Genevieve Tobin) insists upon being treated by Dr. Bertier, it looks to many of those concerned that Mitzi may succeed where the other willing ladies failed.

Cast

• Maurice Chevalier as Dr. Andre Bertier
• Jeanette MacDonald as Colette Bertier
• Genevieve Tobin as Mitzi Olivier
• Charles Ruggles as Adolph
• Roland Young as Professor Olivier
• Josephine Dunn as Mademoiselle Martel
• Richard Carle as Henri Dornier – Private Detective
• Barbara Leonard as Mitzi's Maid
• George Barbier as Police Commissioner

Cast notes

• Carole Lombard and Kay Francis were the first choice to co-star in the film.^[1]

Soundtrack

Unless otherwise noted, the music is by Oscar Straus and lyrics are by Leo Robin.

• "One Hour with You"

music by Richard A. Whiting

performed by The Coconut Orchestra with vocal by Donald Novis

also sung by Genevieve Tobin and Maurice Chevalier, Charlie Ruggles and Jeanette MacDonald, and Maurice Chevalier and Jeanette MacDonald

• "Police Station Number" (uncredited)

music by John Leipold

• "We Will Always Be Sweethearts"

sung by Jeanette MacDonald

• "What Would You Do?"

sung by Maurice Chevalier

• "Oh That Mitzi"

sung by Maurice Chevalier

• "Three Times a Day"

sung by Genevieve Tobin

• "What a Little Thing Like a Wedding Ring Can Do"

sung by Maurice Chevalier and Jeanette MacDonald

• "It Was Only a Dream Kiss"

sung by Maurice Chevalier and Jeanette MacDonald

Production

Lubitsch was originally scheduled to direct One Hour with You, and supervised it in pre-production, but when the film he was directing before it, The Man I Killed went over schedule, Cukor was assigned to direct. Within two weeks after filming started, however, conflicts between Chevalier and Cukor brought Lubitsch back to the helm, although Cukor remained on the set.^[1] Both Cukor and Lubitsch demanded sole credit for directing, and the matter ended up in court, but was settled before a judgment was rendered, with Cukor receiving a credit for assisting and the right to break his contract with Paramount to direct What Price Hollywood? at RKO.^[1]

References

Notes

External links

• One Hour with You at the Internet Movie Database
• One Hour with You at AllMovie
• One Hour with You at Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy: A Tribute
• Criterion Collection essay by Michael Koresky
• IMBd link to various One Hour with You reviews